We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Moona Sanaullah. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Moona below.

Moona, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve always been a creative. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been into writing, acting, singing, playing instruments, dancing —the list goes on. It was when I finally landed on my hobby of painting during high school where I found a peace I didn’t quite find in others hobbies. I was never good at drawing or sketching so being able to paint was exciting. Simultaneously, I was using foundation to cover up acne. Painting allowed me to explore the makeup world a bit more. My skills from painting transferred from a canvas to a face and it became more thrilling when that face would have such amazing reactions about how they feel with my creation on them. It’s like my canvases were talking back. During college, I worked at Ulta. This is where I learned about products and brands and it was the perfect place to practice shade matching all skin tones.. With the combination of my skill and product knowledge, I then grew confident to do makeup on different faces and explore a little more. I think I lacked a lot of confidence due to my perfectionist perception. I wish I had pushed myself a little bit more, and I continue to remind myself of how important it is to let go of perfectionism.

Moona, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 2019, I had the opportunity to work as a makeup artist on my first feature film. For about 8-9 months, I dedicated my weekends to the project, working for free. This experience brought together many passionate creatives, each driven by their own love for the craft. I fell in love with the filmmaking process and am incredibly grateful for the experience. Through networking, I’ve since landed opportunities to work on short films, commercials, music videos, and even documentaries.

I now work as a freelance makeup artist for events, film, and photography and have created my own small business, Makeup by Moona. I’ve also partnered with Tasha Gorel, owner of Natasha Nivian Photography, where we create brilliant headshots together. I truly love working with creatives and being part of the process. Additionally, I’ve ventured into production, applying my creative direction to produce high-quality fashion videos for clothing brands and fashion campaigns.

I’m so proud to combine my love for makeup and filmmaking. I enjoy making people feel their absolute best for photoshoots and events, using makeup to create characters for films, and seeing my artistic visions come alive through creative direction.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I don’t think there are any non-creatives out there. I think we all have a unique craving to be creative in some way or form even if it isn’t relative to mainstream media. The biggest struggle is often trying to pursue this itch we all have. The first step is always the hardest and the most intimidating one. Once that is done, it all gets easier from there. Enjoying what you love to do is crucial for our mental health, and a portion of enjoyment is fulfilling our creative needs, just as much as relaxation and social outings. Passion is where happiness lies.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I’m an avid reader, and my love for books has influenced my management and entrepreneurial thinking. Two books that have been impactful are Mind Hacking by Sir John Hargrove and The Code of the Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani. These resources have significantly shaped my thought process and have made managing my business much more intuitive and effective. While the first book has taught me how to declutter my mind, the other one has taught me a key lesson: always trust your gut. You know what you want, you know how to do it, now run.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://moonasanaullah.myportfolio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeupbymoona

Image Credits

Tasha Gorel
Uriel Roscom
Aneesha Krotha
Rizwan Ghumro